In a follow-up to yesterday’s post, I asked the participants in my informal media class if they were surprised to have noted no local Cincinnati or national, excepting the LA Times, coverage of Senator Graham’s claim on CBS’ Face the Nation that President Bush is engaged in a cover up of 9/11. Everyone was surprised and sobered that such a bold and direct statement by a man of such unquestioned repute would go almost completely unreported.
I have heard several former military pilots say that the elastic straps that so snugly framed President Bush’s, as G. Gordon Liddy described it, “manly characteristic” should have been loosened upon exiting the aircraft. If one examines the videotape and observes the crotches surrounding the President you will clearly see that the other flight suited men had loosened their straps. These former military pilots said that walking with these straps still snug would have been “painful”. Funny, isn’t it? I mean, I actually laughed out loud when I heard this. Poor President Bush and his “manly characteristic” must have either suffered or thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
A couple of nonsensical right wing shibboleths currently mouthed by the hopeless punditry:

1-The Opposition should drop the carrier visit as an issue because any viewing of the costumed President is good for GOP2-Adoring servicemen “swarmed” the President3-Other Presidents did it

What total hokum!

1-When I see the costumed and crotch-enhanced Leader of Portions of the Western World I only see a man who did not honorably complete his military service.

2-As far as the pundit-described adoring swarm, I really can understand the chickenhawks misapprehension of that blanket term “the military”. The military, excepting Newt Gingrich, are not like Star Trek’s evil Borg group mind (though the VP comes mighty close). The military, all services, is comprised of free men who voluntarily swear to serve and obey the orders of superior officers within the context of the Uniform Code, period. Any military installation expecting the arrival of any President is going to be on its best behavior and any Commanding Officer is going to order his Command to be as “squared away” as is humanly possible. I actually heard some draft-dodging loon of a pundit say of the sailors on the Abe Lincoln’s deck, “…Look at those adoring looks…they love our President!” To confuse a troop’s duty and respect for the Commander in Chief with adoration is, in our democratic system, either stupidity or a perversion of the highest order.

3-While the odious cant about other Presidents visiting aircraft carriers and briefly wearing jackets or hats is certainly true, any amateur historian could quickly discover that the problem with the Bush version is a civilian Commander in Chief wearing a complete military costume (for the 1st time in American history) and exiting a jet with his name stenciled under the pilot’s cockpit window.